The 2025/2026 season was a landmark for the youth team of Rivne’s Veres, which, under the guidance of Stanislav Upilkov, won bronze medals in the U19 National League championship for the first time in history.
This is reported by Rivne24
“Last season we performed excellently, finishing in fifth place, which I consider a great result. We understood that the new championship would start with a completely new team, with only six or seven players remaining. Therefore, creating a constructive atmosphere and organizing the team was truly challenging. At the beginning of the season, we did not show good results and found ourselves in last place after the fourth round,” the coach noted.
“This period was difficult, when practically nothing was working out. I openly admit: after defeats to Polissya and Obolon, I went to the president and requested my resignation. But I was refused, being told that they understood the situation and that we needed to keep working. So I sincerely thank the management for this trust,” he added.
– Did you believe that Veres U19 could become the bronze medalist of the National League?
“I believed one hundred percent! I always tried to instill this belief in my team. We have players coming in who have not always been in top teams, or those who are recovering from injuries. We believe in their potential and analyze them in the training process,” Upilkov shared.
“The main task is to give the boys faith. I always say: ‘More than I believe in you, probably only your mother believes in you.’ And this belief was present in all the matches; we simply asked them to believe in themselves,” the coach added.
– The team initially lost five out of eight games, but gradually changed the situation, achieving one victory and two draws. What was the key factor in this turning point?
“The character of this team is something special. The way they show it on the field, how they fight for each other. They may argue or not communicate, but on the field, they play with heart. This is the key to their success,” concluded Stanislav Upilkov.